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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Soliciting....Feedback!

We are finishing up the cover for Monti's latest Passenger to Paradise novel, Night Watch, and I am wrestling with that most challenging of elements, the back cover blurb. How much is too much? How much is too little?

Please take a look at the cover at SIKES BOOKS and give me some comments!

When I see people reading back covers in stores, they pretty much seem to skim them quickly, taking a few seconds to make up their minds. I think perhaps one paragraph less and then, as Marilyn suggests, a snippet of a review. It would also break up the rather long synopsis that might appear a bit daunting to the casual shopper.

I agree there needs to be less copy on the back cover. I would combine some things. This is my rough draft:

From the moment Lily’s plane lands in tropical Trinidad, things go from her planned rest, relaxation and photography to mistaken identity, gun running and danger. Her transportation to her lodging does a no show. Instead she is mistaken for someone named Katherine by Kyle Warren. Putting the unsettling feelings of her trip and recent deaths of her parents behind her, Lily enjoys the ocean view from her room only to see the familiar figure of the man from the airport stealthily unloading cargo from a small boat. Over the next few days, Lily’s resemblance to another puts her in danger and Kyle’s attempts to protect her further complicate the uncanny memories and feelings that she may indeed know him from the past. With her life in peril, Lily discovers a deep kinship with her doppelganger and a growing attachment to Kyle.

Also, if this is being marketed as a romance, I would put some hunky guy coming out of the surf even if it is small. Just my thoughts!WendyW.S. Gagerwww.wsgager.com

Love the cover. The synopsis is too long and detailed. Here's my condensation for what it's worth:

From the moment Lily’s plane touches down in Trinidad, her planned decompression from the death of her parents and the betrayal of her fiancé turns into a nightmare. Her airport taxi driver, Kyle, blurts out “Katherine” when he sees her, and when she corrects his mistake, he warns her she might need help while on the island. Then she sees him that night from her veranda stealthily unloading cargo from a small boat on the beach. Drugs? Guns? Bodies? Lily can't escape the feeling that Kyle is someone from her past. When her uncanny resemblance to Katherine puts her in danger, Kyle tries to help but doesn’t explain. Looks like trouble in paradise.